Systems and facilities

Structured task analysis – the key to success

First-class, high-availability solutions for a lifecycle

The disciplines of energy and media supply are, as is the case for the transportation sector, broadly distributed processes with high requirements placed on communications. Furthermore, the fields of energy generation and processing plants have many similarities regarding regulation, control, and logic. Field-specific or open systems: on this basis, we create high-quality, very-long-lasting solutions using structured and largely standardized functional units.

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Monitoring and control (SCADA)

Control rooms for power plants, airports, and manufacturing facilities have extraordinarily high complexity and a broad array of functionality; it is absolutely critical to have well-designed monitoring and control systems to support the operating personnel. Efficient mechanisms provide protection against operator error in critical situations and help mitigate information overload for personnel under high time pressure. It is not the knowledge of the chosen SCADA, but rather an in-depth understanding of the processes involved that is the most important prerequisite for successful implementation. Process engineering simulations enable process optimization and training of operating personnel without disturbing or influencing the actual process.

Automation systems

Automated process control is required in numerous fields: manufacturing facilites, power plants, batch processes, renewable energy, and infrastructure. The technological process at hand determines the required hardware and software design of the automation system. Meeting today’s requirements while keeping in mind those of tomorrow: our structured software engineering uses standardized and fully-tested functional units. We aspire to efficient handling over the entire automation system life cycle, even for the most complex and heterogeneous of system architectures.

Data and network management

Virtualized, cloud-based, highly-distributed automation structures demand a communication infrastructure that goes above and beyond that of traditional second-generation “distributed” SCADAs. In addition to the automation system and the control system, data and network management form the third pillar of system automation for communication and IT security. The use of standardized communication protocols, platform-independent and service-oriented architectures as well as structured data modeling ensure successful deployment for a broad array of manufacturers and applications.

Power electronics

Power electronics is a vital enabling technology of our modern energy-based society; it is essential for power utilities and distribution, as well as for storage, and for efficient use by electrical loads. As a cornerstone technology of the “Energiewende” (energy transition), power electronics equipment plays an important roll within the product portfolio at F&S, with products ranging from intelligent excitation solutions, soft-starters for starting up large electrical drives, all the way to current and voltage source converters.

Process visualization

Many technological processes can only be mastered by making use of an appropriate visualization scheme. Acceptance due to user-friendliness: we offer application-specific system design for the human-machine interfaces of various typical operation and monitoring tasks. Our solutions always consider aesthetic, ergonomic, as well as production-related aspects.